Darvish stifles A's for sixth win

May 17, 2012|Reuters

The Sports Xchange

MLB Team Report - Texas Rangers - INSIDE PITCH

And the beat goes on for RHP Yu Darvish.

The Rangers' prized Japanese import raced out to his sixth win on Wednesday with 7 2/3 innings against Oakland in a 4-1 win. Less than a quarter of the way into his first season, Darvish is tied for the major league lead in wins, has the best ERA (2.60) among Rangers starters and is averaging 10 strikeouts per nine innings.

While the Rangers hoped Darvish would one day become one of the top pitchers in the majors, it bears asking if he's already reached that level.

"It's been a progression that he expected," manager Ron Washington said. "What we thought doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what he expects. Each time we've seen him, he's gotten better. That's what good pitchers do."

On Wednesday, Darvish showed the ability to bounce back from a strange outing. In his last outing, Friday against the Los Angeles Angels, he pitched the first inning, then stayed loose during a 1:56 rain delay and returned to pitch another 4 1/3 innings before leaving as the eventual winner. Though he officially only threw 93 pitches in the game, with throws during the rain delay the toll was more like 120 or higher. Darvish came back to throw 118 pitches on Wednesday.

"No matter what the situation, every time out I try to throw as many innings as I can," said Darvish, speaking through an interpreter. "I always feel that way."

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MLB Team Report - Texas Rangers - NOTES, QUOTES

--DH Michael Young was given his first scheduled day off of the season Wednesday after going through an 8-for-48 (.167) stretch. Young missed one game earlier in the year with a stiff back, but this was the first time manager Ron Washington simply elected to rest him.

--2B Ian Kinsler was a late scratch from the lineup with a stomach virus. Kinsler had been given his first off day of the season on Monday. INF Alberto Gonzalez got his third consecutive start due to Kinsler's illness. Gonzalez went 2-for-10 in the three games as the Rangers went 1-2.

--OF Josh Hamilton had a pair of hits to extend his major league-best hitting streak to 16 games. Hamilton also scored once to up his runs scored total to 32, one behind MLB and team leader 2B Ian Kinsler.

--RHP Joe Nathan struck out the side to convert his sixth consecutive save opportunity. Nathan had a rough first week of the season, but since then he's allowed one run (on a solo homer in a non-save situation) in 11 2/3 innings, struck out 14 and walked just two.

--The Rangers have committed the most costly errors in the majors this season. Through 38 games Texas has made 18 errors and allowed 18 unearned runs. While several teams have allowed more unearned runs and a lot of teams have made more errors, no clubs have averaged an unearned run per error.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Scuffling doesn't bother Michael. He's been there before, and he'll rattle off 12 hits before you can blink your eyes. Even the best go through it, and we know he's one of the best." -- Rangers manager Ron Washington on DH Michael Young's slump that led to a day off on Wednesday.

BY THE NUMBERS: .708 -- The Rangers' winning percentage against the AL West since the start of 2011. It is the best winning percentage against the AL West by any team, regardless of the games played, in that time span.